


Ice Queen of the Bay

by JeckParadox



Series: Worm AUs [7]
Category: Frozen (Disney Movies), Parahumans Series - Wildbow
Genre: Alt-Power Taylor Hebert, Gen, Ice Powers, Modern Royalty, Self-Hatred
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21716521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeckParadox/pseuds/JeckParadox
Summary: One day, everything was fine. The next, the bay was frozen solid, a castle of ice standing imperiously over it, snow falling continuously over a city once known for being pretty warm even in the thick of winter.Tattletale, seeing the potential of the person who created the ice, as well as knowing that if the city gets snowed in any further, the PRT won't have any choice but take more dangerous methods to get rid of the one causing it, decides to set off for the ice castle herself.
Relationships: Rachel Lindt | Bitch & Taylor Hebert | Skitter | Weaver, Taylor Hebert | Skitter | Weaver & Lisa Wilbourn | Tattletale
Series: Worm AUs [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1132409
Comments: 34
Kudos: 309
Collections: Червь





	1. Castle 1.0

_"At around 12:45 last night, the mouth of the city's namesake bay was frozen solid by an unknown Parahuman villain, who has since been given the codename_ Khione _by the PRT . Afterwards, they constructed the castle you can see behind me." she gestured to the massive multi-spired building at the opposite side of the frozen bay, dwarfing the Rig in front of it. "Currently, the PRT has offered no other information about this Parahuman's potential intentions or goals, their origin, or their afilliation. The ice has caused a massive amount of property damage, and has disrupted transportation and some plumbing across Brockton Bay." the reporter said, "The spread of the ice seems to have thankfully stopped with the bay itself, and hasn't spread any further into the ocean, or deeper into the town itself."_

_She took a few steps, and the camera followed her away from the view of the ice-covered bay, instead looking at the city itself. "Although the ice hasn't spread into the town, the snowfall has been thick, and nonstop. The PRT has made official warnings to stay inside if possible, and not risk the poor driving conditions. City buses have been forced into a shutdown, and all schools in the Brockton Bay area have declared their first snow day in more than a decade. While the hospitals will continue to run, please be aware that all ambulances will be severely delayed by the snowstorm. We'll continue to monitor the situation, so stay tuned in. Back to you, BBNN."_

Lisa turned the television off, and walked over to the window of their base, watching the snow fall. It wasn't everyday something this big happened out of nowhere, and Lisa had the sinking feeling that it was going to be something that stuck around for a long time. She wondered if the people in Adams felt like this when Nilbog suddenly went to war with the rest of the world. 

Probably not, she decided. After all, not many people were likely to have died from this yet. The new Parahuman, Khione, or whatever, had just frozen the bay solid, built their fairytale castle, and... nothing else, yet. But the thought remained. A whole city claimed instantly by a single villain, obviously styling themselves as royalty.

The thought was, heh, chilling. She wondered if this would be her only chance to get out, before the PRT tried to seal off the city to contain Khione, or the new Cape did it themselves. They built a castle in a few minutes- the video of it happening had been both gorgeous and terrifying, -they could build a wall around the city. 

She made a call to the boss, but to her frustration, he didn't pick up. Maybe he already fled the city.

The door opened, and a snow-encrusted figure, followed by three smaller snow-encrusted figures, came into the building. The smaller ones shook themselves off, revealing dogs, and the taller one began to peel winter coats and snow pants off, before collapsing into the sofa next to her. "How are the other dogs?" Lisa asked, as she headed to the kitchen. 

"They'll be alright for now." Bitch grumbled, "But the generator won't last forever, and the walk there and back is too difficult to do too often without a van." 

She came back, warm tea in hand, and passed a mug to her fellow Undersider, who took it without thanks, sipping at it. "The snow's not going to stop anytime soon." Lisa said, "I'm debating just giving up on Brockton Bay and leaving before the new Cape builds some kind of ice wall." 

"Hm." Bitch grunts, not committing to anything, "Saw people trying that." 

Lisa sighed, walking back to the window and nervously watching snow fall. 

"Don't just stare at it all day Tattletale. Your anxiety is going to rub off." Alec teased, coming out of his own room and setting up his game in the living room. When he turned the television back on, to switch it from the cable to his console, he stopped, staring at the news report. 

The footage was from a high vantage point, a helicopter or- no, a drone, her power told her. It was looking at the door to the ice castle, where the Protectorate was out in force, New Wave having apparently decided to join in in the face of what Khione had done to the whole city. 

She almost laughed at the way half of them were wearing heavy winter coats over their costumes, while the others stood there shivering, but proudly displaying their colors. 

"Get out of the way Alec." Lisa hissed, and the boy moved aside with only minor grumbling. The three of them were tense as they watched the doors of the castle open and- 

"Holy fuck, the abominable snowman." Alec laughed as a huge humanoid creature made of snow appeared in the entrance. It had sharp icicles rising up out of its back as spikes, and forming sharp teeth and claws. It roared at the gathered forces of the Protectorate and New Wave, and then was promptly blown apart as they attacked en masse. 

Then, another monster appeared, followed by even more. 

The Undersiders watched as the battle stretched on, three minutes, five, ten. At least it seemed like the heroes could win this one. The snow monsters weren't especially durable, with most of the Capes facing against them able to easily dispatch individual ones from a distance. The ones who could attack from a distance, anyway. Battery was flung through the air when she got too close to one of them, but was caught by Assault before she slammed against the ice again. 

The tide turned, however, after Glory Girl punched straight through a snow monster, causing it to collapse. But in the explosion of powder and ice shards, she didn't see two more rushing for her, hands growing more and more ice, until she was locked in her own personal miniature iceberg. She struggled, but couldn't break free. The other monsters, seeing that this strategy worked, rushed to do the same to the others. 

"They aren't being directed." Lisa muttered, watching. 

"Huh?" Alec looked over to her.

"They aren't being directed." Lisa repeated, Nilbog apparently _was_ a closer analogy than she would have liked, "They're sentient, and they're learning, and making plans. They... they're not as smart as people, but they're getting smarter with each wave, and the ones who haven't been destroyed yet are following the new ones' leads." 

The other two looked at her, then, "Okay?" Alec offered. 

"This is really bad." Lisa began, "We need to pack up. We're getting out of the city." she reached for her phone. Both of them looked up at her, alarmed. "The boss isn't responding to my calls. I think he's already gotten out. We've been abandoned." she jabbed a hand at the television, "Khione's going to be the next Nilbog, and they've popped up in our back yard. It's a matter of _hours_ before the PRT and the government declare Brockton Bay a lost cause, and Khione too dangerous to be messed with." 

"I _can't_ leave." Bitch said, "My dogs- I can't move them. Not with just two vans, not with all this snow." she sneered, standing up and looming over her, "And I'm not just running away without them." 

"Whoa, whoa, isn't this a bit much? I mean, it's _ice,"_ Alec said, stepping up and getting between the two of them, "even if the heroes down there get their asses handed to them, Legend or Eidolon can just drop down and start spamming heat vision at the whole thing."

"Maybe." Lisa said, slowing down, "Maybe but..." she turned back to the television, and finished dialing in Brian's number all the same. 

The snow monsters had their Glory Girl-sicle off to the side, under their guard. When Brandish approached, one of them ripped off their own arm and tossed it, ice spreading from it in every direction. It landed right in front of the Cape, and began expanding rapidly, encasing her in ice. Her energy weapons cut through it easily, but her limbs weren't immune to it. As the ice encased her further, she changed to her Breaker state, becoming a ball of hard light, and bursting out of it. She returned back to her normal form, only to get tackled by another snow-creature, who quickly put her in an ice-cube like her daughter. The monster then shoved her towards her daughter, her prison sliding easily across the frozen surface of the bay. 

Laserdream and Lady Photon began trying to blast the prisons from the sky, but more pieces of snow monster were tossed their way, each forming its own mass of spreading ice. They were forced to back off, gathering near the rest of the gathered heroes, who were taking cover behind the corpses of snow monsters they had already slain. 

Triumph, Dauntless, Armsmaster, and the majority of New Wave continuously fired on the mass of snow creatures, whittling them down. But more appeared every few minutes from inside the castle. The newest batch looking bigger and stronger than the one before it, and reacting more intelligently, even forming spears and shields out of ice. 

It was a losing battle for the heroes, Lisa knew. Brian finally picked up on the third attempt, "Tattletale." Brian said, in greeting.

"Why didn't you pick up- Nevermind. Driving, good. Pay attention to the road. When you pick up your sister, bring her here to the hideout."

"I don't want her mixed up with the Undersiders. She doesn't have to know about us." 

"Look, Brockton Bay may or may not be a lost cause." Lisa said, "And if we're leaving, I don't want to leave you behind." 

"What does the boss think?" Brian asked, after a tense moment.

"Won't pick up." she said, "I think he's already decided to head for greener pastures, without a care for us." 

"Shit." 

Lisa's eyes turned back to the television when Alec and Bitch both jumped, and she watched as all the 'dead' snow monsters suddenly pulled themselves back together, grabbing hold of and encasing every hero who was taking refuge nearby them. Dauntless melted his way out- _permanently_ killing, it seemed, -the monster who had grabbed him, before running up into the sky. Velocity was able to avoid the grabbing monsters as well, but the others were all more-or-less down for the count. 

Dauntless lashed out with his extending lance, but stopped when one of the newest snow monsters pointed a spear towards the captured heroes and belted out a roar. 

When Dauntless began to back off, the snow monsters all began grabbing ice blocks, and shoving them all in the same direction. The prisons slid across the ice in the vague direction of the Rig...

And then the monsters began returning to the castle.

As the last one walked in, the doors slammed shut behind it. 

"Khione just beat the heroes." Lisa informed him, "That means they're either going to try leaving them be, or call in the triumvirate next." 

"Shit." Brian muttered again, "Okay, fine. I'll head over when I have Aisha. For now, get ready to leave. We'll decide whether to come back later." 

"Sounds like a plan." Lisa said, "See you when you get here." 

With the battle over, the drone footage was relegated to the corner of the screen, as the talking heads of the network talked about the battle in a near-panic. Lisa noted it when one of them read something, and reported there were no fatalities among the heroes, the worst injuries being related simply to being covered entirely in ice.

That complicated things, a little bit. Lisa decided. And it was also a good sign.

No deaths meant that Khione, whoever they were, ordered her monsters not to kill anyone. The heroes had attacked first, she remembered, as long as one didn't consider the freezing of the bay in and of itself an attack. Her power worked in overdrive, focusing on the battle, on the behavior of the monsters, on the castle itself... 

_Wants to be alone._

_Isolated_

_New to powers. Testing things._

_Wants to be safe._

She frowned, chewing on that. If Khione just stayed in their castle, only attacking when attacked, the PRT might just leave them be, unless something forced the issue. But the time that Khione had was probably running out. With the way the snow was shutting down the entire city, soon the PRT wouldn't have a choice. Big guns would start pouring in, and while Khione's powers were comparable to an Endbringer's in terms of sheer and sudden scope, Alec had a point. 

It _was_ all just ice.

Eidolon could summon some kind of mini-sun, or Legend could blast key spots in the ice with heat-releasing beams, and it would all be gone in a few weeks, provided Khione didn't just repair it all immediately. Of course, at that point, there would probably already be a kill order on Khione. 

Tattletale tapped her finger on her arm, frowning. It felt like a waste, now that she thought about it. That, soon enough, despite the sheer impact they had in a few hours, they'd be gone. Either dead or birdcaged. That, in a few weeks, Brockton Bay would go back to being what it once was. Coil would probably return, and she'd be right back in the position she was in before. All this power, all that potential to make change, and it would all be gone once the PRT decided the snow wasn't likely to stop.

She realized, suddenly, that she could probably stop that from happening. 

She looked at Bitch, "I just had an idea on how we could stop the snow, but it's kind of risky." 

Bitch narrowed her eyes, "You think we could win?" 

"When snow-monster-maker guy just took down most of the heroes in the city?" Alec pressed, "That doesn't seem likely."

"No, but I think I could convince them to make the snow stop." Tattletale said, "But I'll need help getting that close." 

"You know your attempts to 'convince' people are really hit or miss." Alec jibed, "I'd say, about half the time you just make whoever you're talking to so angry they try to kill you, rather than get talked down." 

"Then we'll end up in blocks of ice." Tattletale said, shrugging, "And the Protectorate thaws us out." 

"And we go to prison." Alec says.

Tattletale knows he isn't afraid of prison, exactly. He's just afraid of being on record, and unable to escape. It would mean that his siblings would have a lead on him again. "You don't have to join us. Shouldn't, actually. I doubt your power would come in handy, and your personality definitely wouldn't."

"Harsh." he says, before looking back at the TV, "Alright, have fun on your suicide mission to Fort Icicle."

"Bitch, are you with me?" she said, "Like you said, the generator at your shelter won't last forever. The snow has to stop." 

"Fine." she said, "Are we waiting for Grue and his sister?"

"Nah, but I should tell them." she said, grabbing for the phone again, "He won't like it, though."

* * *

He didn't like it. But all the same, Tattletale was sure she could do _something,_ and Brian was still slowed down by the snow on the roads. Meanwhile, Bitch's dogs just ran through it. Wrapped up in the warmest coat and snow pants she owned, she clung to the back of the monstrous dog, and watched the frozen Bay get closer. Bitch didn't hesitate, and neither did her dogs, to leap from the Boardwalk to the ice, and keep running. 

As they dashed across the ice, aiming for the castle, a red blur began streaking towards them, eventually solidifying into Velocity when he came closer. He slowed down enough for them to hear him, and shouted "Don't get any closer, Hellhound! Don't aggravate Khione! We don't need anyone escalating the situation!" 

"You can't stop us." Tattletale shouted, "Besides, we're not going to fight. I'm going to convince Khione to stop the snowing. I can do it, too!" 

"We can't afford to fight those monsters again right now. Most of the heroes are still recovering. If you're swarmed you'll be on your own." he warned, keeping up with the monster dog's long loping strides. 

"I know the risks!" Tattletale shoots back, "Don't worry about us." 

He puts a finger up to his ear, before frowning, looking back at her and Bitch with a worried expression, before sighing and peeling back off towards the Rig. 

The castle began to loom over everything within sight as they got closer, the light shining through from the other side of the partially-transparent structure playing blues and pinks across its shadows.

When they were within shouting distance, the doors slammed open, and one of the hulking snow monsters, one armed with a huge slate of ice for a shield, and a long icicle for a spear, glared down at them. 

"Go! Away!" it roared, the empty eye sockets of the thing narrowing suspiciously down at them. 

"Hey, hey, you want to let us in." Tattletale said, holding up her arms. 

"No! Nobody go in from outside! **Everyone** leave alone!" frozen spines jutted up from its back, making it that much more terrifying. 

"No, look. Right now, your... master? Your creator?" she offered, when the monster didn't give a proper form of address, she moved on, "Whatever, they need help."

"No help!" it growled, before looking smug, and jabbing an icicle thumb up towards its own face, "She has us. All help need!" 

Khione was a girl, then. "Look, those people you fought off? They aren't the strongest people in their group. Stronger people are going to come, if she doesn't listen to me. People who can make a lot of fire, or vaporize ice by boatload without effort, or just smash you apart so fast you can't pull yourselves back together in time to help her." Lisa pressed, "Me any my friends, we want to help you, help her." 

"Fire?" the snow monster asked, confused, "What then? What vapor?" 

Small words, Lisa, small words. "Most of you got back up, but not all." she said, "The ones who didn't? They melted. That's what vaporize means." 

"Melt... _bad."_ the monster agreed, slowly, "But no one let in!" 

"Fine, then what is she going to eat? Where is she going to sleep? What will she do when she gets bored?" Lisa shot the questions rapid-fire, not giving the massive snow-beast time to consider each question individually, "She needs to have those things brought to her." 

"We can bring!" 

"Fine, then what can she eat?" 

"Uh... snow." 

"No." 

"...I _ask._ Don't go. Don't come in!" it says eventually, before slamming the door shut on them. 

She sighed in relief. Her heart rate allowed to go back down again. She thought after spending so much time with Bitch and her dogs, she'd be able to get used to monsters, but that thing was nearly twenty feet tall, and about as wide, and covered in spikes. More than that, she could tell that it was on a hair trigger, and wouldn't be afraid in the least of picking her up and throwing her. With the snow almost at two feet now, she'd probably live through it, but there was always the chance that she would get unlucky and land on her head. 

And she was basically going to sign herself up to work with them on long-term basis, if she pulled this off. With a Cape as strong as this, she probably could make a decent living just as a go-between for the heroes and others, provided that Khione really is as much of a shut-in as her power seemed to clue her in on. 

"Should we try to force the door?" Bitch asked, impatient, "We can take them. The heroes got pretty far, if they're just snow." 

"No, don't pick a fight. Our old boss abandoned us, this is me trying to fill the gap." 

"You want us to work for them?" Bitch asked, insulted.

"Not for, exactly, but probably 'with'. Khione literally changed the landscape of Brockton Bay overnight and then pulled a Lung-style debut." Lisa said, "And she's all by herself. If we can make her into an ally, we'll be in a much safer position than before, not to mention we could get the snow to stop, save the city, and all that."

A few more minutes passed, before the snow monsters, multiple, opened the doors again, and then made a small path for them to take into the castle. 

* * *

Lisa took in the architecture of the place in a few seconds, simply breathing it in. It was all ice, of course, but it was simply gorgeous. The chandeliers on the ceiling, the bubbles in the ice shaped like snowflake patterns, the columns that branched from place to place like frost. She could get used to living in a place like this. 

She shivered. 

If it was a little warmer, anyway. 

The initial monster she had conversed with was standing at the top of a staircase that took up part of the main hall, "Come." it ordered. Bitch guided the dogs forwards, and up the stairs, and Lisa winced every time the claws audibly scraped at the beautifully polished steps. 

Although, considering Khione had built this place in _minutes,_ she could probably repair any damage easily. 

It opened the doors for her, and she was left standing in a smaller, mostly empty room, with balconies on every side, although right now the doors to them were drawn shut. 

_Paranoid. Worried about snipers._

_Didn't design this place with a siege in mind._

_Fit of whimsy._

_Or freedom. Testing abilities._

She looked to the snow monster. 

_Created just one, to scare people away from the doors. Didn't expect heroes to go on the attack in response to being threatened into leaving._

_Created others in panic, to reinforce first._

_Closed windows and doors. Started adding more layers onto everything, to make tougher._

Finally, she looked towards their host. 

Khione wasn't exactly what Lisa was expecting, but she wasn't really sure _what_ she had been expecting. A twiggy girl with long messy brown hair sticking out of something that looked like a knight's helmet made of dark blue ice. The rest of her outfit was essentially a suit of armor made of ice. She was also armed with a sword and shield made out of, you guessed it, ice. 

Lisa looked her up and down, and didn't need her power to know the girl didn't have even a _little_ experience using those. 

"Y-you wanted to help me?" Khione asks, hesitant, but trying to sound confident.

"Yep." she popped the 'p', before grinning, "My name is Tattletale, my Ice Queen." she gave an over-exaggerated bow, "Former small-time villain, and a Thinker. And you're going to be in desperate need of my help for the foreseeable future."


	2. Castle 1.1

The windows fogged and then frosted over in beautiful swirls. Moisture beaded on any hard surface I passed by, diamond-dust mist spreading from my skin. 

I watch it, for a few precious seconds, before letting my eyes shift over to the clock for the tenth time in the last five minutes. It was all a very careful balance. Dad didn't know yet. And I couldn't let him know, either. Not yet, anyway. He wouldn't understand, would try to push options that just wouldn't work, not in the long term. I was freezing everything around me, all the time. Anything I touched tended to come away covered in at least a little frost if not a genuine layer of ice. I never stopped making it colder. 

I'm sure the Wards would take me if I talked to them. They were run by the government, I knew. But my power wasn't _useful._ I could, what, make a bad-guy slip and fall by icing over the ground in front of me a little? And in exchange, a mountain of inconvenience for everyone. Frozen hallways, frozen rooms, chattering teeth, everyone forced to put coats over their costumes...

But I'd feel guilty. Maybe it was stupid of me, but I wanted to actually be a useful teammate. I wanted to be a useful _hero!_ I didn't want to just be an inconvenience everyone would be forced to work around. And I would, I resolved. I _would_ get control of my power, keep it under lock and key, only releasing it when I needed it. Then, and only then, would I make a move towards the Wards, towards heroism. 

After all, despite the being generated constantly, I wouldn't call myself a reverse Ash Beast, or anything that bad. I _could_ reign it in, if I focused. If I was asleep, too, which was a lucky break. I was confident that someday I could be somebody, with this power. But right now?

Right now, just the slightest lapse in control, and poof! 

See, like that. 

"Shit." 

The floor was sparkling, underneath my bare foot. Stupid, _stupid,_ Taylor. What was I doing in bare feet? I fished those slippers out of the basement for a reason, even if they were too small, now.

The ice that my foot had made spread out in a six-pointed star, right in the middle of the kitchen. Each spike of the star easily three inches wide and twice as long.

I sigh, checking the clock again. 

I had a few hours to practice while I was alone. But I had to be careful. Anything that didn't melt by the time Dad was due back would be another hint towards the existence of my powers. Already there had been a few close calls. I managed to blame a forgotten open window twice, but it would be suspicious to try a third time, with a more obvious window.

His next suspect was the heater. It had been looked at and dusted off, and there had been grumbling about calling someone in to check it out. But that would be expensive. I tried to get him to ignore it, try to convince him that the heater was fine. And it was. But he was going to waste money on it, when we just plain didn't have the money to spend any more.

But Dad wasn't stupid. Half-dead to the world, sometimes, but not stupid. 

It was cold in the house, all the time. At least according to him and the thermometers. I couldn't feel it any more. 

I take a towel, run the water in the sink until steam rose up from the basin, and soak the towel. I could feel the warmth, still. Warmth didn't go away, which I'm always grateful for. I take the towel, and dab at the snowflake I had frozen into the floorboards, melting it bit by bit. I had to re-dip the towel three more times, but I think I managed to hide it. I turn off the water and leave the towel to dry, and go up to my room to think warm thoughts. 

I slide gloves over my hands. Skin contact and strong emotions were the most common causes of lapses in my control. What I needed, I thought, was some kind of space suit. Just, keep all the cold bottled up inside with me, not let it out and bother anyone. 

It had only been a few days since I got back from the hospital, and in my own opinion, I had made good progress in the short time that had passed. I was proud of it. It also kept my mind off of what put me in this situation to begin with. 

I patrolled the empty house, checking everything for signs of extreme cold. The windows were fine- Dad had long-since accepted the frost on the windows and overlooked them. But everything else couldn't show any signs of being frozen. 

Content that the house was in good enough condition, I retreated to the safety of my room, and get under the covers, closing my eyes. 

I had spent a lot of time sleeping lately, as well. It limited the amount of time I had available to mess up and freeze everything. The blankets were also good at hiding what little ice I made while I laid there awake. 

I closed my eyes, and thought sleepy thoughts.

* * *

"Taylor, get up. This isn't healthy." 

I rolled over, forcing my eyes shut tighter, drawing the blankets closer. 

I had been steadily improving, to the point where I had gone more than a day without accidently freezing something. The house had warmed up again. And then Dad brought up that I would be going back to school at the end of the month. And it was back to day one. My attention frayed constantly. I froze things I picked up, even through my gloves. Gloves which were not leaving my hands anymore, as without them, there wasn't even any hope of not freezing whatever I touched. When Dad pressed me on it, I mumbled something about germs, and his pained look got worse. 

"Taylor. Please, you're scaring me." 

I didn't respond. 

I was asleep. I didn't freeze things when I was asleep. 

I couldn't be a hero if I couldn't stop freezing things. I couldn't _eat with my hands_ if I couldn't stop freezing things. 

"Taylor!" he snapped, suddenly angry, "Get up. Now." 

I was caught off guard when he pulled away the blanket. My eyes shot open, and I rushed up to grab it, pull it back to me. I only got a glimpse of Dad's confused expression. 

He leaves the room. A few minutes later, he comes back in, and sets something down with a clink. It smells like food. 

I can't do this any more.

* * *

I climb out of my window, and drop down to the grass. It freezes underneath me, and I curse under my breath. I take a few steps and look behind me, at the Taylor-shaped spot of frozen grass. 

With a sigh, I hold out my hands, and will- just a _little._ A _little_ frost, on everything. That's all. 

It comes easily, almost gratefully. A poisonous ball of pressure inside my chest that I've only just now noticed weakens a little as a shimmering white cloud gracefully settles over the lawn. My landing mark is hidden by the rest of the lawn becoming just as icy. And then... I look at the other houses in the neighborhood, with their own non-frozen lawns. 

I don't have a choice, right?

I pretend I'm not smiling as I unleash the cloud all around me, a light mist of frozen air settling on everything around me. As I walk down the road, my billowing cloud spreads, further and further. Past my sight, and even further than that. 

Echoes of doubt, of all the horrible feelings of the last few weeks, of the constant paranoia, tell me that it's enough. To not stand in the road, to not let anyone know it's _me_ doing it, are you crazy?

I let go of the mist, and breathe heavily. 

All around me, the neighborhood is soft and silent only the way a cold night can make it. I take a step, and it's the only sound at all. I move quickly, heading for the Boardwalk. I'm not wearing much. Pajamas. A thick purple scarf wrapped around my face as a mask. My slippers beat against the road as I hurry. 

I'm not going fast enough. Not really thinking about it, I take off the slippers, and let myself simply slide forward, like I'm skating. My bare feet generate ice as I go, and I surf down one street and up another, moving without friction. 

The pressure seeps out, and I can't help but laugh. The sound rings out across the empty buildings, so I pull up my scarf and laugh deep into the fabric instead. As I get closer and closer to the Boardwalk, I debate turning back around, but with every small use of my powers, the sick feeling goes away. At least a little bit. 

The reason I came out tonight was that decided that I had to know. Before I can think about attempting school, or Wards, or- or anything else. I had to know first. 

I had to know just what I could do. 

I had to know just what I was holding back. 

I had to know what would happen if I just... let go of the control. 

I reach the boardwalk, and go around the sidewalk. There's no real beach anywhere in Brockton Bay, but on days with a low tide you can go under the boardwalk and sit there in the sand. Sometimes enforcers will drag troublemakers down here to rough them up and tell them to stop showing their face in front of the rich people. 

But it's out of sight, and close to the water. Here, I can finally let loose, without needing to worry. 

Once I _know_ just what exactly what it was I was holding back, I'd be able to do it better. 

Or maybe that was just what I was telling myself, and I just wanted to give in. 

Either way, I was here, now. 

I look out over the bay, a huge, pitch-black bowl of water. 

I suck in a deep breath. 

And let it _go._

Ice _pulses_ from me, the six-pointed star that had emerged beneath my foot in the kitchen was an insignificant thing compared to the massive snowflake that spread across the sand and poked into the water. I thrust out my hands, and a swirl of sparkling white lights emerges from the air and spirals as I send it out. It brushes against the wooden columns holding the boardwalk, and leaves them covered in ice. 

I jab forwards, and a wave of violent icicles rises up from the sand. I lance out with a leg that sends a miniature glacier rising up from underneath me and heaving forwards. I hear snaps as some of the boardwalk's wooden pillars are snapped like nothing. 

Maybe my power isn't as useless as I thought. 

I move closer to the bay, away from the wood, not wanting to do any more damage unintentionally. I accidentally dip my foot in, only to have a platform appear beneath my foot, and grow outwards. 

Nothing to break on the open water. 

I smile, and keep walking. Platforms continue to form over the water, letting me walk over it. 

I suck in a crisp, cool, breath of sea air. 

And I let it **GO.**

Ice **SPREADS.**

White replaces black like ink spreading in water. It fills in the bay in great spirals, in waves, in frozen fractals and snowflake patterns. I _roar,_ thrusting out with my limbs, with my feelings, with my voice. I skate forwards, enjoying the wind against me. It feels like the world is lighting up, as the ice reflects back the moonlight and city lights like nothing else. I spin in place, and thrust out my hands, reaching for- for something! Snow begins to fall, and I cheer, only realizing _right then_ that it was exactly what I was looking for. 

My paranoia is completely forgotten. The sinking depression of the last week, or possibly the last few years, are pushed aside as I freeze, _freeze, **freeze**_ everything around me. 

I create a ramp, throwing me up into the air, and the ice in front of me rises up in another to catch me. I realize I can control it. I can move it. I can grow it. 

I'm not just freezing water, I'm making ice where there wasn't _anything_ before. 

I shoot past the Rig, not even _caring_ that people might be able to see me from it. 

Soon, I'm on the other side of the Bay, near the eyesore of a ship that had closed off the mouth. I look back at the city, and for the first time in my life, I think it's almost beautiful. 

I decide I want a better view. 

Ice surges under me, great crystalline pillars rising up and up, branching off to make columns and supports and towers and walls in gorgeous geometric designs. Colors fill it, and I realize for the first time in a long time that ice isn't just clear. It can be a rich green, or blue, or white or even pinks and purples. 

I'm high in the sky, an entire _ice castle_ shooting up in every direction around me. 

_**"I'm the Queen of the world!** "_ I roar into the night sky. 

And then searchlights from the Rig turn on all at once, aiming at my castle. I'm thrown from my joyous frenzy, and _everything_ crashes back down onto me. I realize what I just did. 

The bay is _frozen solid._

I'm standing in a castle, that's practically _looming_ over the goddamn Rig.

I was cackling like a madwoman as I changed the _fucking_ weather and did _so much_ property damage probably.

I run back into the depths of my castle, not wanting to be seen by the searchlights. 

"Crap, crap, crap..." I mutter, "What am I going to do?" 

I didn't mean for- for any of this to happen. 

For weeks, I've been carefully melting every little bit of evidence of my powers, and then I just throw it away. I _waltz_ in front of the Rig, and show off my powers to the whole world. 

Could I have done _anything_ more obviously threatening than creating a fortress right outside the superhero hangout?

Stupid, _stupid_ Taylor. 

* * *

The ice armor was the work of a moment. A mask to cover my face. I got rid of that one, reshaping it into one I could see out of.

The doors, the windows, the balconies, all of them slammed shut with impressive force. Openings that didn't have a cover _grew_ them. I could feel that they did. I didn't have to be anywhere near them to make it happen, but I knew they _did._

I was in danger, I knew. Looking at what a rational person's response to a random idiot freezing solid the bay, and then building a huge terrifying castle next to the Rig, would be, I knew that I wouldn't be perceived as being friendly. Not in the slightest. I had messed with their fortress, and then parked my own right next door. The Protectorate would be coming to see me. 

And... 

I thought of the boardwalk. Of throwing up a wall of piercing spikes that ripped through wood like nothing without trying.

If I got into a fight, I might hurt someone. 

I might hurt a _hero._

I stomp down with one foot, and light pulses through my creation. It all subtly shifts, a deep, resounding groaning noise, two glaciers rubbing against each other, roars through the castle as it gets bigger. The walls thicker. The supports support-ier. There's more spikes now. 

What else? What else can I do to protect myself?

A castle's not much good without guards. But I can't really do that, can I?

I mean, maybe I could trick them into thinking I _did_ have guards?

I flick with a finger, and a snowman appears. A kind of stocky, lumpy one, with a kinda-weird head. An artist I am not. This won't fool anybody. (Although my power apparently makes me one hell of an architect.) I poke holes in the face for two eyes, and then drag a jagged line through its face to make a mouth. I'd give him a hat, or pebble buttons, or stick arms, or something, but I don't have anything on me. Just snow and ice. I create two ice-arms, and stick them into the sides. 

...

Doesn't look finished. 

Well, I have a scarf. I don't need it to hide my face if I have my ice helmet. I wrap it around the snowman's neck. 

"Oh thanks!" it says in a deep rumbling voice.

"AAAAAHH WHAT THE FUCK" 

I kick the thing's head off, and pierce its chest with a spike of ice from the floor.

"Bad! Bad!" it groans, "Mean!" 

"I'm sorry." I say quickly, "I wasn't expecting you to be alive."

"Oh." the head spoke on its own. The body pulled itself from the spike, walked over, picked up its head, and put it back on. Adjusting the scarf, a little, to make sure the head stays this time. 

Huh.

"So... I made you?"

"Yes!" it agreed. 

"...Are you alive?" 

"Yes!"

"How?" 

It shrugged. 

Huh. 

"Look, um... I'm sorry to spring this on you so soon after your... birth." I say, "But I'm kind of in a bad situation because I'm stupid." 

"You not stupid." it grunted, frowning. 

"I-" am not going to argue with the snow monster my power made, "-well I did some stupid things, at least. And now I might be in trouble." 

"That bad." it agreed, nodding.

"Yeah. But um... could you go stand by the entrance, and... scare away anyone who comes close? Don't hurt anyone! But, just... make sure nobody can come in here? Tell them to go away?"

"I do that." it nods, resolute. It then, to my surprise, gets _bigger._ The ice spikes up, the arms flowing deeper into its body. Snow shifts, packs down, and is generated. A more defined body emerges; a huge, hulking one, three times taller than I am. 

It marched down to the bottom of the stairs, and stands in front of the huge doorway. 

I create a throne and sink into it, holding my head in my hands. 

I... 

I thought I just made things colder. For weeks.

And I _agonized_ over it.

But, here I am. Sitting in a castle of my own creation, sitting on the bay, which I had frozen, guarded by my abominable snowman, which I had imbued with life. I manipulated the _weather,_ somewhere in there, too.

I begin laughing again, before letting out a long, pained, sigh. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Go away!" 

I'm started out of my sleep by the roar of my snow-guard. I blink awake, and then move closer to the stairwell, looking down towards the doors, which had cracked open slightly. My guard took up most of the opening, but I could see a flash of something through his legs. Blue mechanical-looking boots. I knew those boots. 

From Armsmaster action figures. 

"Go away!" my monster roared again, "And stay out!" 

"Did you create this castle?" a severe voice barked out.

"No."

"Were you created by the one who made it?" 

"Yes. Now leave!"

"Are your creator's intentions hostile? What's happened could be construed as an attack. The city is in _chaos._ If your creator doesn't surrender themselves, we'll be forced to-" 

My snow guard _shoved_ Armsmaster, and Armsmaster was sent flying.

"Go away now!" my snow-guard, roared, moving to close the doors. 

"Oh shit." I hiss. "Shit, shit." 

Then a blast of hard-light hits it in the chest, and he's knocked apart. 

_"Shit!"_ I squeak. 

They're going to get in. 

My monster just attacked Armsmaster!

What do I do!?

One of New Wave, I don't know her name, but she was wearing white and gold, steps inside. 

A wall shoots up from the ice, making a barrier around the doorway and she backs off, but a moment later, another blast breaks a hole through the hastily-summoned sheet of ice. 

They're going to get in, and then I'm going to- to- to-

I don't know. 

They can't get in. 

My snow guard assembled itself once more, and plows through the remains of the wall, rushing out to fight. 

It's going to get ambushed, and defeated, and then they'll flood the place. 

But maybe with reinforcements... I create another snowman, this one shaped like his chosen more monstrous, bigger form. And then another. They both blink down at me after a second, smiling jagged smiles. "Hey." I say, "Go help, but don't kill anyone, or hurt them too bad. Our goal is to make them go away, not make them feel bad." 

The two give nods, before lumbering down the steps, and out the doorway, joining in the fight outside. 

Three wasn't going to cut it. 

I spread my hands, and let power pour out of it. Snow, by the boatloads, is blasted across the room. Then, from it, rises snow-monsters. More and more. They begin to head down the steps, instinctively following their kin to go join in the fight.

I stop, for a few minutes, and inch to a window, making the ice transparent enough for me to see a blurry version of the fight happening outside. My monsters aren't winning. At most, they're just pushing the heroes back. They just keep... snarling, and swinging their big hands around, and... that's about that. Thinking about it, my first scary Snowman didn't have much in terms of intelligence. Maybe something a little bit more.

I wince as a snowman is blown apart by a laser blast, or something similar. 

With shields. 

The next batch were made with shields, and spears, and a lot more _ice_ than snow. Basically, a framework of ice supporting a snow covering. Kind of like a Terminator. And when their eyes lit up, the hollow space shifting slightly as it looked around, somehow, I could see more intelligence in it. And something else. 

The first batch, when I made them, I was thinking in terms of being a guard dog. Something that would patrol on the walls, and scare people off. 

These? 

They were fighters.

I repeat the same directions, and receive nods. And then, my new Elite Snowmen charged down the steps. I go back to watching the battle, and see them begin to trap Heroes in ice. I see the fallen rise up in an ambush, and the way almost every hero gets iced over, and then sent sliding back towards their home base. 

My troops, victorious, enter back into the halls of my castle. 

I'm caught between feeling happy and guilty. I was safe, for now, and I wasn't useless. My power was strong, insanely strong. Strong enough to literally beat every other hero in the Bay. But I had demonstrated that by terrifying, threatening, and then humiliating said heroes. 

I sink into the throne, and wait. My snowmen rise up the steps, one by one, and assemble before me, looking at me expectantly. I smile up at them, but it was a weak smile. "You all did wonderfully. Thank you. Um, if you don't mind, could you patrol the halls? And some of you stand guard at the door? Don't go out into the open yet, I don't want them to shoot you from far away." I order, "And um, if you ever get bored, or want something from me, don't be afraid to ask. I owe all of you a favor, now. Alright?" I didn't know if they mindlessly obeyed me yet, and even if they did, I didn't want to be a bad boss.

"Okay!" one of them said, happily enough, before they began to peel away, going back down the steps, and then spreading out through my massive ice castle. 

I was left alone, again. 

I slink down into the chair, feeling exhausted, even though I only woke up a short time ago. The last week had been hard on me, and my sleep schedule is fucked. Part of me just wants to... go back to sleep... 

I'm startled awake by one of my monsters, one of the ice-terminator group, heading back up the steps, "Uh?" it asked, loudly. 

"Yes?" 

"Someone wants in." it says, "Says you _need_ help. Help Snowmen can't give. Wants to help." it says, almost sadly.

"Who are they?" 

"Two girls." it says, "And big monsters." 

Huh? 

"Big monsters?" I ask. 

It nods. 

I get up, go to the window, and make it transparent once more, looking down at the shapes. I have... no idea what those creatures are. The two people riding on their backs at least indicate they aren't likely to go berserk. I don't recognize either one as being a local hero, but I'm not super-familiar with the whole roster. 

"What help did they offer?" 

"Say... Say you can't eat snow." the monster says, "And, um. Place to sleep. And not get bored." it lists off, "That's it." 

My stomach grumbles, and I realize that it is a little past my usual breakfast time. And... 

How _was_ I going to get food? I can't just walk out of here. The Protectorate would crash down on me like a ton of bricks. I don't have food, I don't have- well, I have water. But _nothing_ in this place is going to melt anytime soon. 

"...Let them in." I say, "Under guard. Bring them to me." I create a sword in one hand, and a shield in the other. With a thought, my throne sinks into the ground, disappearing into the ice it came from. 

"Okay." it begins to walk off, and I suddenly feel scared.

"Actually, uh, you stay by me. Protect me if they attack, okay?" 

"Okay!"

I make a few more elite snowmen, and bark orders. They head down the steps, and open the doors for my guests. Guess it was time to meet whoever the heroes were sending. I wonder if they'd ask me to surrender. I wonder if I _would_ if they asked that to my face. 

I hear the clacking of claws against ice, the sounds of heavy breathing, the mist of heat coming off of creatures the size of bears as they rumble up the stairway, sniffing, growling, huffing. 

They enter what I was quickly deciding was the throne room.

My snowmen are bigger, sure, but that's a _lot_ of teeth.

The girl in the bright purple snow suit comes down from the dog, giving the room a brief look, her snow-guard a glare, and myself a once-over. 

"Y-you wanted to help me?" I ask, hopefully sounding confident.

"Yep." she popped the 'p', before showing her bright-white teeth, "My name is Tattletale, my Ice Queen." and then she bowed, "Former small-time villain, and a Thinker. And you're going to be in desperate need of my help for the foreseeable future."

I don't think these people work for the Protectorate.


	3. Castle 1.2

"You're a villain?" 

The self-identified Tattletale puts up her hands, "Uh, not like you're thinking. Actually, the reason we're here can be described as almost entirely heroic, even." 

I keep my grip on the sword all the same, watching her, "I was told you were here to offer me food, a place to rest, and so on. You're not with the Protectorate, to organize some kind of cease-fire?" 

"Well, not on their _behalf."_ Tattletale says, "But I am here to offer you things you need in exchange for you pulling back a bit on your assault on the city." 

"My assault on the city?" I ask, confused, "I'm- well, okay, freezing the Bay probably _does_ have a lot of unintended consequences." I bite my lip, "I could... probably unfreeze it?" 

"That'll be _good,_ of course." Tattletale says, "But we're actually talking more about the snow." 

"You're clogging up the streets." the other girl says harshly, I can't see her face, but I can _hear_ the snarl, "My dogs are going to freeze, and I can't drive them somewhere else." 

"Yeah, it's pretty bad." Tattletale's smug grin fades a little, and she looks almost somber, "Ambulances are having trouble getting out of the hospital, the transit system is down, the schools are all closed, the police can't move, and the PRT are barely any better. The city has a huge homeless population as well, and they're going to be in a _lot_ of trouble if the snow doesn't stop soon. You've frozen all activity in Brockton Bay." 

"I-" I cut myself off. I didn't mean for any of that to happen. I just- I just made it start snowing on a whim! 

I look towards a window looking over the city, and make it transparent. Sure enough, the roof of every building is capped with white. The snow on the boardwalk must be thick enough that I can't tell when the frozen bay ends, and the streets begin. 

From there, I look outwards, up at the sky. The ceiling of the tower we're in becomes transparent as well, and I stare into the uniform light gray I've turned it into. 

When I made it snow, I reached out, and felt... some kind of latch, almost. An invisible lever somewhere high above me. I reach out for the same feeling, trying to find what I pulled on to make the snow start. I grope at air, and feel the sky, the _cold_ in it. 

I find a similar sensation, and _push,_ rather than pull. There we go. 

I look back at the villains. Tattletale is staring at me with wide eyes, her mouth slack, while Dog-mask simply keeps glaring at me with crossed arms. 

"The snow will keep falling for a few more minutes, but it should stop after that." I inform them, and Dog-mask relaxes a little. 

"Uh, well. Good! Thank you." Tattletale says, sounding a little distracted, "I guess that means we should keep up our end of the bargain, huh?" 

Bargain- wait. Food. Blankets. Entertainment, apparently. "Right." I say, "When can I expect you back? And how much food are you going to bring?" 

"As much as we can get a hold of. It might take us a few hours." Tattletale says, "Although if you prefer, we could get you enough for the day in less than an hour, and bring more regularly." she gestures to herself and Dog-mask, "We were actually wondering if you'd be willing to accept a more long-term arrangement. Considering what happened earlier today, you aren't making a lot of friends with the heroes, but no woman's an island, Khione." the smug smile is back, "So, are you hiring?" 

"I don't have money." I say, shrugging.

"No, maybe not, but you do have power." Tattletale says, "A lot more than you might think." 

Ice fortress, army of super-strong monsters, the known potential trump card of just burying the city in snow, "No, I know I've got a lot going for me. I am... _extremely_ powerful." It was just that I had just convinced myself of the opposite until last night, "But I can't pay you in power. And I'm not about to send snowmen with you for you to use however you please just for some food. They aren't slaves." besides, they admitted to being villains. If they're just doing this for extra muscle, they'll have to leave disappointed.

Tattletale's smile cracks a little, "No, no, of course not. I wasn't really asking for your mon- snowmen."

"Then how does my power help you?" 

Tattletale looks me over, "Before I answer that, how are _you_ planning on using that power?" 

I... really haven't thought about it. At least not since I knew my own capabilities. With my thrashing of the Protectorate, the Wards are out, and most of my future plans with them. Although, obviously, there are still things I can do, "I wanted to be a hero, at first. But like you said, I didn't make any friends there this morning. I guess I still do want to fight crime. Get rid of the gangs. Make the bay a better place." 

"And unfortunately, things aren't always just that simple. Sure, with your firepower, and an army of snowmen, you probably _could_ overwhelm most of the gangs. A few of their Capes could probably ignore or no-sell a lot of what you can do, though. But then what happens afterwards?" she asks, "Who fills in the gaps? The Merchants? Coil? The _Teeth?"_

I didn't know who Coil was, but I knew the Teeth and the Merchants. They were bad news. Maybe not as strong, technically, as the Azn Bad Boys or the Empire, but all the same... 

"Are you asking me to take over the city's crime?" 

"Crime won't vanish, Khione. No matter what. But it can be moderated, and it just so happens that you, with your ice fortress, your army, and your newfound Protectorate-smashing rep, would make you one hell of a moderator. What do you say?" 

"But... I don't _want_ to be a crimelord!" 

"Do you really think the Protectorate will let you join after all of this? At the very least, they'll want you to get rid of your snowmen or put them in some kind of quarantine, first." Tattletale said, "The local Director has war wounds from the PRT's disastrous campaign against Nilbog, and you're probably stomping all over her panic buttons, what with the self-replicating monsters and the medieval castle." 

That... 

"Look just... think on it. We'll get you what you need, as thanks for stopping the snow. No problem on that end. But by the time we get back, I think you should have a plan in mind." 

I nod, hesitantly, and Tattletale smiles, "I hope you'll give the offer its due consideration, Khione. Not all villains are bad people, and not all heroes are good. Just... think about what would be the best choice, for you, and for Brockton Bay."

She climbs back onto the dog, and the two began to plod down the steps, and back out of my fortress. 

"Wait- Khione?" I ask, suddenly noticing something strange, "Why are you calling me that?" 

Tattletale looks back at me, "It's just what the PRT are calling you. I think it's some kind of winter god or nymph in Greek mythology. Should I pass on what you want to be called?" 

"Uh... no, that's fine, for now."

Tattletale gives another nod, and continues her way down. I watch through a transparent window as they dash across the frozen and snow-covered bay, back to the city. 

What should I do? 

My snowmen begin to filter into the room in their wake, looking concerned, "Was... that alright?" asks one of them, "Should we chase them? Or bring them back?"

"No, no, I'm fine. You did the right thing. I do need food, after all. I can't stay in my ice-tower by myself." I look to one of them, "Is the fortress secure? Is anyone trying to get in besides them?"

"No." 

I nod, frowning, "But that won't last. Especially if I do become a villain like they said." my gut feeling is against such a thing- the gangs are the _problem._ The crime is the problem. Ruling Brockton Bay's underworld doesn't mean _solving_ the problem, it just means I would be in charge of the problem... but maybe, if the problem isn't solvable, being in charge is the best I can hope for.

I guess, my first priority should be safety. While I'm powerful, extremely powerful, I'm still vulnerable. Any Cape with useful fire or heat-based abilities is a significant threat, and in a city with Lung, Othala, Purity, and Circus, not to mention Dauntless and nearly all of New Wave, those are a lot of threats. 

My castle will protect me enough to at least give me some warnings, but... it might not be enough. 

I head down the stairs, snowmen lumbering after me, until I reach the ground floor. With a stomp, and flex of my power, ice disappears, carving itself down, lower and lower. I hit water, and begin freezing it, making a winding staircase down to the bottom of the bay. Then, I start heading back for land. I look to one of the Snowmen, "If I'm not back by the time those two are, run down here and tell me. Alright?"

"Right." it nods, before lumbering back up the stairs, and towards the door.

I continue making my tunnel, guarded now by just one Snowman, until the level of the ground begins to raise up, and I find myself carving a path into open air. It's not far to... what I _think_ is the boardwalk, under all that snow, and decide this is good enough of an emergency escape tunnel. I retreat back, and create a door. "Stay and guard this, please."

"Okay." my Snowman acknowledges, while I head back down the tunnel alone.

* * *

"So, have you thought about it?" Tattletale presses, watching as I eat a bowl of cereal without any milk, out of an ice bowl with an ice spoon. The other girl is sitting with her dog-monsters on the other side of the room, watching carefully, but mostly just seeming bored and annoyed.

The snow really has stopped outside, something that luckily happened only shortly before they returned with the first two backpacks filled with maybe three days worth of food.

"...A little." I say. I put down the spoon, and look her way, "I haven't been in control of _anything_ for a long time. Ever since I got my powers, I've been trying to keep them contained. Small. Limited to me. And they fought me. I lost control of my life, and then I had to fight for control for every second I was awake." I say, "But... I have control _now_. And I want to use it to do some good."

"Okay?"

"I don't like the idea of being a crime lord." I say, "But you're right, that things wouldn't change, _just_ because I took out all the bad guys here right now. More bad guys would come fill the void. Maybe better, maybe worse. But if I'm in charge... I can at least make things less bad, right? I can draw a line in the snow, and make _everyone_ follow it."

"And if they don't, there'll be more snow." she finishes.

I want to deny that... but I don't. It's a tool in my arsenal. If the Merchants don't play along, well, maybe Archer's Bridge gets hailed on for a few days. If the Empire starts killing people again, downtown traffic slows to a halt. And, of course, it would mean dealing with snowmen, and possibly getting trapped in blocks.

"...So, if I do what you're suggesting, what stops Eidolon and Legend from coming in and melting everything?"

"The Protectorate can't tolerate a second Nilbog situation. But they _can_ tolerate a new villain in town, who happened to make a big show of force. Lung did it, and the Triumvirate haven't shown up to deal with him yet. They can't just gang up on every new villain, since it means that all the other villains might get worried, and act out. Just... show you're rational. That you aren't going to claim the city as your frozen kingdom. Making the snow stop was a good first step. Maybe next you could... unfreeze the bay? The sewer system kind of relies on it."

But that would mean destroying my castle.

No, no it wouldn't. I could leave most of the bay unfrozen but the castle is practically on top of the shipwreck. I could just maintain a little... ice island, sealing the bay shut.

"I'll unfreeze most of it." I say, "But I'm _not_ taking down the castle." 

"Of course not!" Tattletale says, "It's your biggest show of strength, right now. I wasn't going to suggest that."

"Alright."

I take another bite of cereal, my stomach grateful for it.

"So where do you guys fit in? You called yourselves the Undersiders?"

"Right. We're small time. Thieves, not killers, not drug-runners." she said.

"I don't really need people to steal stuff for me."

"And if we're working together, we won't really have to steal, either." she said, "We'll be able to make a lot more money without needing to risk ourselves at all."

"How?"

"By charging protection money." she said, grinning sharply, "We'll make it clear that Brockton Bay is _yours._ And make it clear to any other Parahumans in the city that they can only stay with your permission, and under your rules. We'll basically be charging the Merchants, the Bad Boys, and the Empire rent."

The idea still doesn't sit well with me.

"What if I can't actually beat them?" I ask.

"You can." she said, with confidence that surprised me.

"Even Lung? His whole thing is that he's immortal, and he can make fire." I protest, "Throwing stuff at him is just going to make a lot of water."

"Khione." she says, "You're underestimating the scale of what you've just done, and what it looks like."

"But-"

"Khione? Every single one of your Snowmen?"

"Yeah?"

"They're just a little smaller than Leviathan, and you made _dozens_ of them. That group successfully beat up the _entire roster_ of heroes in the town. You made it look _easy_. You crippled the functioning of the entire city within a few hours. You are, unquestionably, the scariest thing in Brockton Bay. The Endbringer sirens aren't running right now, but that's only because your monsters _talked_ to Armsmaster, and you didn't kill anyone."

I stare at her, feeling horrified.

"Lung isn't likely to risk anything until he has a _lot_ better idea of what you are, and what you're planning to do." she says.

"...Alright." I say, "I tried to think of something else I could do, but... the only better thing I can think of is just continually driving out every villain group with an unending horde of snowmen, while leaving the heroes alone. And when the next group of villains shows up, do the same thing again."

She leaned back, considering it, "That might work too." she admits, "If you loudly declare yourself a solo-hero, make plenty of apologies to the Protectorate and the city at large, and unfreeze _everything,_ including the castle... it _might_ work. Maybe."

"Why the uncertainty?"

"They'll be less afraid to try and force things on you if you're calling yourself a hero."

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

She shrugs, "Right now, the perception of your fight with the heroes is that you _spared_ them. If you call yourself a hero then it'll be known that you'll _always_ be restraining yourself. That any time anyone goes after you, the worst they'll get is being put in some ice cuffs. They'll be willing to push you. It also means the villains will just try and fight you, and that they'll keep doing what they do _now,_ without any restraint, until you can drive them out or capture them all."

I sigh, putting my head in my hands.

She's just one girl. And a villain. She wants to manipulate me, and is actively trying to do so. But the stuff she's saying... makes sense.

People don't really feel like they _have_ to listen to heroes. And even if I did somehow manage to defeat all of them, drive them all out- they'd become problems somewhere else, and the bay would just accrue new problems. Becoming a hero just sounds pointless, when framed like that.

And considering how ineffective the heroes already in the town feel...

Maybe it is pointless.

Maybe control is the best thing I can hope for. The best thing I can do to make things better.

"So." I say, looking into Lisa's eyes through the holes in my helmet, "Where would we even _start,_ with the crime-lord thing?"


End file.
